Recent advancements in the cellular engineering technology have made it possible to culture various types of animal cells including human cells. In addition, the study of so-called regenerative medicine, which tries to reconstruct human tissue and organs using the cultured cells, has been rapidly advancing. In the regenerative medicine, the key is whether cells grow and differentiate so as to allow construction of three-dimensional, body tissue-like structures. Methods employed include, for example, one in which cells and growth factors are used, and one in which a support as a scaffold for the regeneration of tissue or organ is implanted into a patient. As an example of such a support, an implant scaffold consisting of a collagen single yarn is disclosed in Patent Literature 1.
In addition, Patent Literature 2 and Patent Literature 3 disclose a foam consisting of a bioabsorbable material, a cardiovascular tissue culture scaffold reinforced by the bioabsorbable material, and a nerve regeneration scaffold having a tubular shape.
Further, Patent Literature 4 discloses a biomedical material including a gel having cells dispersed in a skeleton consisting of a sponge-like or non-woven polymeric molded material.
One of the subjects of the regenerative medicine is the regeneration of auricular cartilage tissue. Regeneration of auricular cartilage tissue requires large and thick tissue having a relatively high mechanical strength. Unfortunately, it has been difficult to produce such a large and thick auricular cartilage tissue by a method that uses a conventional scaffold to produce body tissue.